Secondly, Obi was right to ignore the villagers because he believed that his students would be affected by the myth that spirits also use the path and he does not agree with this theory and doesn't want his students to believe it either. Therefore, by having the path closed, his students can be taught to laugh at such ideas. "Our duty is to teach your children to laugh at such ideas."
Michael Obi was wrong to ignore the villagers because, firstly, he is being really ignorant towards their beliefs and traditions (which is also selfish because he is only thinking of how he wants to do things.) "What has that got to do with the school?" This quote shows Obi's ignorance because he is saying that local villagers' beliefs and very old religious traditions are not important and do not have anything to do with the school. This also shows that obi is predudice against the villagers' religion.
Secondly, there wasn't another way to the burial ground, which meant that a lot of time, money and effort had to be put into building a new path, which again shows Obi's selfishness. " 'I would suggest your constructing another path, skirting our premises.' " This quote shows Obi's selfishness as he suggests this to the priest because he does not care about how the villagers will suffer in not being able to visit the burial grounds while the new path is built.
Another reason for why Michael Obi was wrong to ignore the villagers is the fact that his actions made them extremely angry and upset, therefore resulting in the school being completely sabotaged. Furthermore resulting in a "nasty report" from the supervisor.
In 'Gold-legged frog', Nak Na-ngam goes frog-hunting with his children, and his son gets bitten by a snake. Although he tries many remedies to cure his son, he is most likely going to die anyway. Shortly following this incodent, Nak becomes aware of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; he is told that he needs to go to the district office in town, as the government are handing out quite a lot of money (200 baht) to those with five or more children, and Nak has five children. He is also told that he'll go to jail if he doesn't go to collect the money. He wants to stay with his dying son, but the locals manage to persuade him to go. Nak was right to go and collect the money because, firstly, as his neighbours warned him, he would be sent to jail if he did not go. " 'If you don't go, you simply go to jail.' "
Secondly, Nak had never seen so much money in his life, therefore he was right because he was to become more wealthy, and afford better things for his remaining family. " 'Go, you fool. It's two hundred baht they're giving. You've never had that much in your whole life. Two hundred!' " This quotes shows how Nak was persuaded to collect the money by his neighbours.
Thirdly, similar to the jail threat, he was a subject, so again, he had no real choice. Also, it wouldn't have made a difference if he'd stayed with his son, as he would've died anyway. However, if his son had survived, he would've also benefited from the money. Lastly, Nak was right to collect the money because if he hadn't gone, the opportunity would have passed, as he wouldn't ahev been able to go and claim the money after that day.
Nak was wrong to collect the money because, firstly, it would've been common decendy to stay with his family, concidering his son was dying. Also, by leaving his son, he would have seen him again because when he returned home his son would be dead. As well as this, by going to collect the money it would've been seen as extremely irrisponsible, as his son was shortly to die and he was leaving to get money.
Michael Obi's decision was very selfish and irresponsible, as he was mainly thinking of himself and concidering how he and his school would benefit from closing the path; he did not care about other peoples' feelings and beliefs.
" 'What has that got do with the school'. " He was irresponsible to close the path because he didn't properly concider the consequences of his actions.
Similarly, Nak Na-ngam's decision was also selfish; he cared about the money more than he was concerned for his son. He knew that if he didn't claim the money the opportunity would pass, and even though his son was dying and needed him to be there, he chose the money.
Both Obi and Na-ngam were fairly similarly wrong in their decisions, and both of them had bad consequences; Obi's school was vandalised by angry villagers and given a "nasty report" and ngam's son died with extra sadness at the fact that his father left him in his time of need to collect money.
